1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, and particularly to stacked electrical card connector assemblies with multi-function grounding members.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional electrical card connector, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,095,864, 6,135,792 and 6,352,438 and Taiwan Patent Issue Nos. 238005, 244032 and 244643, is designed to receive a single electrical card and is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) for electrically connecting the electrical card received therein with an electrical circuit of the PCB. The electrical card connector usually has a grounding member which electrically connects an outer shell of the electrical card to the grounding circuit of the PCB. Thus any unnecessary or undesired electrical current can be grounded before the electrical card is electrically engaged with the connector. More details about this kind of electrical card connector can be found in xe2x80x9cMemory Card Connectorxe2x80x9d (pp. 40xcx9c42, February, 1998, Connector Specifier).
Due to continuing trends toward miniaturization and improved electrical performance in the electronics industry, requirements for smaller components and higher electrical speeds are constantly being promulgated. Electrical card connectors such as the one mentioned above need to be made more compact, in order to save space in electronic devices in which these connectors are to be installed. In addition, more than one electrical card are needed inside certain electronic devices, to provide more functions for the device or to provide for transferring and saving of information. Each additional electrical card needed requires a corresponding additional electrical card connector. The simplest way to provide a plurality of electrical card connectors in a limited space is to stack the electrical card connectors on top of each other.
Connecting members are generally provided for assembling the conventional stacked electrical card connectors together, and individual grounding members are usually separately provided for each electrical card connector. Each grounding member electrically connects the outer shell of the corresponding electrical card to the grounding circuit of the PCB.
Another kind of stacked electrical card connector assembly comprises one integral grounding member which electrically connects the outer shells of all the electrical cards to the grounding circuit of the PCB.
In the two above-described kinds of conventional stacked electrical card connector assemblies, the connecting members and the grounding members are provided separately, and they perform their respective functions independently. That is, the connecting members merely fix the electrical card connectors together, and the grounding members merely ground the electrical cards. This need for numerous components makes the manufacturing of the assemblies unduly time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, the numerous components add to space occupied by the connector assemblies.
In view of the above, a new electrical card connector assembly with multi-function grounding members that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical card connector assembly having multi-function grounding members which attach two or more electrical card connectors together and which provide convenient grounding connection between electrical cards received in the electrical card connector assembly and an associated PCB.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a stacked electrical card connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a first electrical card connector, a second electrical card connector, a pair of boardlocks and a pair of grounding members. The grounding members attach the two electrical card connectors together, and provide grounding for electrical cards respectively received in the electrical card connectors. Each grounding member comprises a base plate with a pair of spaced spring arms extending generally coplanarly from one main edge thereof. Free ends of the spring arms resiliently press against sides of corresponding electrical cards received in the electrical card connectors. Thus any unnecessary or undesired electrical current can be removed before the electrical cards are electrically engaged with the electrical card connectors. The boardlocks are used for fixing the stacked electrical card connector assembly on a PCB.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a stacked electrical card connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a first electrical card connector of the stacked electrical card connector assembly of FIG. 1, viewed from a bottom aspect;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a second electrical card connector of the stacked electrical card connector assembly of FIG. 1, viewed from a bottom aspect;
FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect and showing an electrical card ready to be inserted into the second electrical card connector; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vxe2x80x94V of FIG. 4.